Chaucers The Canterbury Tales - Book Report/Review Example

The Prioress, the Nun, the Monk and the Pardoner are characteristic religious figures in Chaucer's work, and by creating ironies between their characterizations and their duties, Chaucer expresses this corruption. "[Chaucer] considers the historical position of the pilgrims and the social position and power each thereby embodies. In the last section he presents Christianity as the shaping force of society" (Fehrenbacher, 1994). He depicts that throughout the years of evolution, man has maintained and generated newer ways of making his fellow beings uncomfortable.

Though this is not always done as a deliberate element, yet its effects are far-reaching, and ever-present due to the dynamic state of the human being around the globe. To add, the varying theologies and schools of thoughts that people have, accord for the varying perceptions that people have about the real world. On the context of deceiving others, Chaucer presents a moralistically sensitive stance. He believes that the best way to understand what the other person is feeling is to actualize with the feelings of the other person.

Deceiving another person in itself is a subjective concept, according to Chaucer. Just like the concept of good or bad, or morality or even laws, the issues of transgressing the rights of another person is a matter which may not affect many if they cannot relate to it. Many people do not even tend to realize even after they have undergone the process of making someone feel unconformable. The absolute truth lies only in the good will of a person. All else is surreal, and the only true and unconditional good act is the one which is done out of true intrinsic will by a person.

However, the people associated with the Church pay little heed to this factor, and keep their personal interest above all else.The point emphasized by Chaucer here is that a person should endeavor to step into the shoes of the other individual. Then the perspective of reality would become evident, and perhaps, the action could be avoided. The characters in his Tales depict an oscillation of a pendulum, wherein they stand for one thing within themselves, but have a faade while facing the outer world.

He further argues that people fail to appreciate the viewpoint of the other person because their own orientation about the facts is not only specific, due to being a different person altogether. It is important to take heed of situation as a consequence of one's internal drive, instead somebody from the outer world forcing an action. Chaucer also tends to believes that universal good, though is not clearly defined, yet it exists as unison. It is only for a person to explore the same in appropriate conditions and circumstances, whereby the true inner persona of the individual will come out.

"Chaucer uses sudden action to emphasize both good and bad events" (Barney, 1981). The reality is that the integrity of the will is imperishable. In the perspective, the meaning can be inferred in the same line. Therefore, if a person tends to succumb to his/her desires and wishes, then this particular persona will never be able to suffer. This is more so the case, when a person is representing the Church, and others start to expect a certain behavior form that person - which he in turn is failing to exhibit.

The most significant